Preliminary conceptual designs for advanced packages for the geologic disposal of spent fuel
The present study assumes that the spent fuel will be disposed of in mined repositories in continental geologic formations, and that the post-emplacement control of the radioactive species will be accomplished independently by both the natural barrier, i.e., the geosphere, and the engineered barrier system, i.e., the package components consisting of the stabilizer, the canister, and the overpack; and the barrier components external to the package consisting of the hole sleeve and the backfill medium. The present document provides an overview of the nature of the spent fuel waste; the general approach to waste containment, using the defense-in-depth philosophy; material options, both metallic and nonmetallic, for the components of the engineered barrier system; a set of strawman criteria to guide the development of package/engineered barrier systems; and four preliminary concepts representing differing approaches to the solution of the containment problem. These concepts use: a corrosion-resistant meta canister in a special backfill (2 barriers); a mild steel canister in a corrosion-resistant metallic or nonmetallic hole sleeve, surrounded by a special backfill (2 barriers); a corrosion-resistant canister and a corrosion-resistant overpack (or hole sleeve) in a special backfill (3 barriers); and a mild steel canister in a massive corrosion-resistant bore sleeve surrounded by a polymer layer and a special backfill (3 barriers). The lack of definitive performance requirements makes it impossible to evaluate these concepts on a functional basis at the present time.
- Research Organization:
- Battelle Pacific Northwest Labs., Richland, WA (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC06-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 6554791
- Report Number(s):
- PNL-2990; TRN: 81-007220
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
CARBON STEELS
CORROSION
CHROMIUM ALLOYS
NICKEL ALLOYS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
SPENT FUELS
PACKAGING
TITANIUM ALLOYS
BACKFILLING
POLYMERS
SPENT FUEL CASKS
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
ALLOYS
CASKS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CONTAINERS
ENERGY SOURCES
FUELS
IRON ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
NUCLEAR FUELS
REACTOR MATERIALS
STEELS
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
052002* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Disposal & Storage